Reflection on Religion

The concept of religion has varying definitions depending upon the context and what can be easily compared with it. To me, someone who was raised a Methodist Christian, but spent many years of his life switching from church to church with his parents, trying to find the perfect fit, religion, is more than just something that you can believe in, religion has and always will be a way to define ourselves to others and a way that we can influence and make sense of our perception of reality.

Despite my belief in my own Christian faith, I am constantly plagued by the feeling that there must be an even greater truth beyond the words of Christian Scriptures regardless of the denomination. I feel as though I should not be compelled to choose a single faith as I have seen the proponents of organized religion do. However, it is not possible to choose what religion you want to follow when you are born. Christianity is the religious tool that I have been given as a base for understanding my own reality, and I view it as just that, a base. In a world full of great religious and racial schisms, it is very easy to exist with a closed mind, recognizing and deifying the things that separate us from the sinners, or the infidels. I think that the greatest truth to be found in life is available through an exploration of the religious views of others.

Throughout history, it has been common for major religious groups to be the catalyst that leads to war, conflict, and hate. The Christian Crusades, The Arab Israeli conflict, the Muslim Conquests, the Genocide of World War II, and many other terrible tragedies find their roots in the garden of Organized religions and the differences that they poignantly emphasize. I do not view organized religion as a bad thing however, I merely feel that organized religion helps small minded people continue to think in a small minded way. It has also provided nations with identity, and just rulers, with equally just causes to fight for. People are not perfect, thus by nature, our religions will always be inexorably flawed. It is for that reason that we must not restrict ourselves to a traditional Organized religious belief. We need to look outside the box, or the cross, what have you, and look for truth in the religions of our peers if we truly seek enlightenment and peace.